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Going Places: Destinations |
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Not long ago, just about every magazine called Slovenia a "hidden gem." Today, it's well known as a top European destination. The country is small-about the size of Maryland-but it's geographically diverse and spectacular enough to have been the setting for films and series, including "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (filmed in the Soca Valley) and Netflix's "The Witcher" series (with scenes set at Predjama Castle, Postojna Cave, and Kranjska Gora).
The most culturally and economically developed of the former Yugoslav republics, Slovenia has been independent since 1991 and is one of the friendliest and easiest places to visit in the region. Read more in Noah Charney's Guide to Slovenia. |
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Slovenia's greatest hits range from alpine peaks to world-renowned caverns and a pocket-sized Adriatic coastline. You can see them all in just a few days, but why rush? |
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Lake Bled: A church in the center of an alpine lake, overlooked by a cliff-top castle. Slovenia's most-photographed spot, with a wellness legacy dating to the 1800s.
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Postojna Cave: Home to the world's first cave train, running since 1872. Keep an eye out for the olm, a blind salamander once mistaken for a baby dragon.
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Predjama Castle: 13th-century castle with a Renaissance facelift, built into a cliffside. A filming location for "The Witcher." Combined tickets cover nearby Postojna.
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Škocjan Caves: Among Slovenia's most dramatic caves, and a UNESCO site. Sheer drop-offs, an underground lake, and natural stone bridges.
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Piran: Venetian-style old town on a tiny peninsula with a grand main square. Stroll the waterfront, then climb the old town walls for Adriatic views.
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Velika Planina: Alpine pasture at 5,000 feet high, where herdsmen have grazed cows since the Iron Age. Taste the local cheese, and stay overnight in a traditional chalet.
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Ljubljana: The capital city. Follow the trail of buildings, bridges, and squares by architect Jože Plečnik (UNESCO recognized), and snap a photo of Dragon Bridge.
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Ski and swim in a single day |
Guidebooks will tell you that Slovenia is so compact, with such diverse geography, that you can ski and swim in the same day. I'd lived here for a decade without ever meeting someone who actually did this, so I did it myself. It's surprisingly easy if you get the season right.
There can be snow in the mountains as late as March, and Slovenia's many ski resorts are all easy to access. Krvavec is 30 minutes from Ljubljana, and Vogel, one of Slovenia's highest ski resorts, is 90 minutes away. The Adriatic coast, with resort towns Koper, Piran, and Izola, is also only 90 minutes from Ljubljana.
I skied at Vogel in the morning, stopped in Ljubljana for lunch, then jumped into the sea in Koper in the afternoon. The Adriatic was a bit chilly, but this feat is certainly doable. You could also try some other polar opposites in a day, like climbing a mountain that soars more than 6,000 feet skyward and spelunking in an underground cave.
(Note: Vogel's cable car and lifts are closed for maintenance until at least December 1. Check the resort's website before planning a trip, or opt for another ski resort.)
-Noah Charney, Going contributing writer
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Come for the castles, stay for the pršut. With Michelin-starred tasting menus, cakes baked with snow pear flour, and plenty of other local specialties, Slovenia eats well. |
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Hiša Franko: Chef Ana Roš, named the World's Best Female Chef in 2017 and star of "Chef's Table," runs Slovenia's first and only three-Michelin-star restaurant.
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JB: Founded by Janez Bratovž, the godfather of fine dining in former Yugoslavia. Now run by his children, the restaurant moved from Ljubljana to the Arboretum golf club in 2026 and remains one of the country's top tables.
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Klinec: Some say Uroš Klinec makes the world's best pršut, Slovenia's prosciutto. He doesn't make much of it, but you can taste it at his restaurant, a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient in 2026.
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Goriška Brda: Slovenia's answer to Tuscany. Its rolling hills sit on a prehistoric seabed, soaking up sun and salty Adriatic breezes. Try Rebula, the indigenous "gold wine" once favored by Habsburg aristocrats.
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Camp Herbal Adventures: Nearly every Slovenian family has a homemade-schnapps maker, but Tanja Rebolj takes it further. At her campsite near the Austrian border, she makes herbal brandies, liqueurs, and teas from foraged alpine ingredients.
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Apitherapy, the use of bees and their products for healing, has deep roots in Slovenia, and there are plenty of ways to try it. You can get a honey massage, breathe in hive air through a mask, or go all in and spend the night in an apiary.
Take BEe RESeT, Teja and Aleš's apiary in southwest Slovenia, for instance. The apiary is surrounded by meadows and forest and a short drive from Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. You can stretch out on a bed set right on top of the hives, listening to the bees buzz and feel their vibrations, or watch the bees from an armchair in the "anti-stress" corner with a cup of coffee or herbal tea made in your kitchenette. Just leave your tech behind: Electronics are thought to disturb the bees. Far from keeping you up, the buzzing works like a natural sleeping pill, so don't be surprised if you drift off fast. Read more in Martina Žoldoš's guide to sleeping in a Slovenian apiary.
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